Memorial Meeting for Phil Mitchinson
Family, friends and comrades of Phil Mitchinson gathered in Cardiff on Saturday 13th January for a memorial meeting. We came together to celebrate his life that ended so tragically.
Socialist Youth supports John McDonnell Campaign
Up to 100 delegates made their way to the University of London Union on the 13th of January to debate the character of the new Socialist Youth Network (SYN).
How Capitalism Failed African Americans
The Second American Revolution [The U.S.
Civil War] was a tremendous step forward, but it never realized its
promise to Black Americans. The real winners in the Civil War were the
Northern capitalists who opened up new markets and obtained a huge new
supply of dirt-cheap labor. Nearly a century and a half after the
abolition of slavery in the U.S.A., we are very far from achieving
genuine equality for all, regardless of race, color or sex. Despite a
number of advances achieved through the struggles of black people in
the 1960s, the position of black Americans remains one of clear
disadvantage. Originally published in the book Marxism and the USA, published by and available from Wellred.
“The German Revolution – 1917-1923” by Pierre Broué
The titantic events in Germany between 1917 and 1923 constitute a tragic and bitter chapter in the international workers' movement. Golden opportunities, in which the German working class could have repeatedly taken power, were lost, eventually ending up in the ghastly victory of the Nazis in 1933 and the obliteration of the workers' movement. A book review by Rob Sewell.
“Capitalism unleashed – finance, globalisation and welfare”
Andrew Glyn is an economist at Oxford University. In his new book, Capitalism Unleashed, Glyn attempts to explain how capitalism moved from the crisis of the 1970s to recovery in the 1980s and 1990s. However, although full of interesting information, the book fails to provide an overall analysis and misses some essential aspects of Marxist theory.
Why trade unionists should campaign for John Mc Donnell
John McDonnell's decision to stand
for the leadership of the Labour Party is undoubtedly welcomed by all trade
unionists: that is, by those who know he is standing! It is shameful is that
the union leaders have either ignored or deliberately sabotaged John's
campaign. A straw pole at TUC conference showed over 60% of those members asked
said they supported McDonnell.
Wellred republishes Dialectics of Nature
Wellred
is proud to announce the republication of the 'Dialectics of Nature'.
Ever since Engels' arrival in London in 1870, he was keen to write a
comprehensive work on science and dialectical materialism. The notes
and studies for such a work make up the present volume, originally
published in 1925. It is an essential read for all those who want to
develop a deeper understanding of Marxist philosophy. Wellred is offering the book for a special price of £9.99 (list price £14.99).
Proposals on party funding aimed at breaking Labour-Trade Union link – don’t let it happen!
Hayden Phillips' inquiry into political party funding which was leaked last
week aims to impose a cap of £50,000 on donations to political parties. Hidden
behind this proposal is an attempt to stop the trade unions funding the Labour
Party in a big way and thus break the influence of the labour movement as a
whole over the party.
The findings of the Stern Report on climate change
The Stern Report highlights the problem of global warming linked to the high emissions of carbon. Stern tries to find a solution within capitalism, without understanding that capitalism is actually the problem. The unplanned, chaotic nature of the system, where all is based on immediate profit means no real solution can be found within it. The answer lies in planning and that can only be achieved under socialism.
Terrorism, Security Business and Britain
While no money is available for spending on healthcare,
education, pensions, etc., billions of dollars are spent on building up massive
security systems. Each terror scare adds to the profit margins of the big
security companies. It is an indication of the sickness of the society we live
in.
Warm welcome for McDonnell in Edinburgh
Up went the Red Flag, or so it felt, when John McDonnell explained the major reforms he would implement if elected Labour´s leader. It was encouraging to also hear the militant stand against the war and privatization made by supporting speaker Gordon Munro, probably the only local Labour Councillor willing to publicly speak out against the Tory line of New Labour.
The Minimum Wage went up 30p…End the scandal of low pay
The minimum wage went up by 30p an hour on the 1st October. It now stands at £5.35 for anyone 22 and over. But it's as little as £3.30 if you are 16 or 17 and only rises to £4.45 when you hit 18, unless you are an apprentice of course (which means you can paid as little as £80 per week!). The TUC was holding out for £6 an hour. £6 is a bit better, but it goes nowhere near far enough to solve the problems of low paid workers.